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Overview

This Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition lets you go behind the scenes with the author.

After Lyra—a princess incapable of speech or sound—is cast out of her kingdom of daylight by her wicked aunt, a witch saves her life, steals her memories, and raises her in an enchanted forest . . . disguised as a boy known only as Stain. Meanwhile, in Lyra’s rival kingdom, the prince of thorns and night is dying, and the only way for him to break his curse is to wed the princess of daylight—for she is his true equal. As Lyra finds her way back to her identity, an imposter princess prepares to steal her betrothed prince and her crown. To win back her kingdom, save the prince, and make peace with the land of the night, Lyra must be loud enough to be heard without a voice, and strong enough to pass a series of tests—ultimately proving she’s everything a traditional princess is not.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Reads like a true fairy tale, with it's rich characters, delicious world-building and an unpredictable story line riddled with betrayal and friendship, romance and heartache...this book has EVERYTHING. Fantasy lovers, THIS IS ONE'S FOR YOU!

Anonymous

5 months ago

Loved every. Minute. Page turner

She_Lily

4 months ago

The first moment that I saw and picked up the book, I was taken by it. I read the excerpt on the back and knew I had to find out why there was a girl with no identity, in a room with no walls, and in such agony. Howard introduced me to life-filled, complicated, wonderful characters. They were characters who I never thought would play the role that they did, but they couldn't have played any other role. I especially loved, empathized, and rooted for our fierce and broken princess. I was shocked and awed by her beastly brawn. It physically hurt each time I had to set the book down and I cannot wait to pick it up again and read it anew!

Anonymous

4 months ago

I discovered A. G. Howard through her Splintered Series. Stain was an entertaining and enjoyable read.

Anonymous

4 months ago

A lost princess. A land divided by magic and prejudice. A chorus of curmudgeonly, crusty, but tender-hearted side characters. Howard's stand-alone novel Stain, a retelling of the Princess and the Pea story, combines all the necessary ingredients for a whimsical fairy-tale, but avoids predictability by turning the tropes of the genre upon their heads.
In the kingdom of Eldoria, eternal sunshine reins. Nighttime, moonlight, and all their denizens have been sealed below the earth in Nezereth. Eldorians reside peacefully in their warm and bright home, and consider themselves superior to those trapped beneath; however, to one important girl, the brightness is inimical. Princess Lyra, daughter of the king and queen of Eldoria, is born deformed: her skin is translucent and burns at the least touch of sun, her lashes and hair are white and startlingly long, and she cannot speak. Lyra's royal blood seems hardly sufficient to make her a fit ruler for a kingdom of sunlight, in view of her flaws. Yet, when power shifts in Eldoria, the princess Lyra disappears, and with her vanishes the hope of reuniting day and night under one sky. Hidden in the underbelly of Eldoria, the lost princess is raised in anonymity, scarred and dirty, known only as Stain. To save both kingdoms, and to find her destined soulmate, she will have to prove that the markers of her misfortune and the things that separate her from her people are not weaknesses, but rather unrealized treasures.
Lyra makes a good lead character because she does not fit the mold of a delicate maiden with a royal pedigree waiting to be saved. Her flaws, not her beauty, are her defining trait--her stains. And yet, what the outside world sees as her weaknesses, Lyra turns to her advantage. She is strong, made so by both character and experience. By the end of the story, Lyra proves herself worthy of veneration, not only by birth but by merit. Likewise, the other protagonists are likable for their multi-dimensionality and well-articulated individual motives, not for being flatly written side characters. The characters prove the moral of the story: exterior imperfections can enhance, not detract.
Stain is a satisfying tale, with all the elements of adventure, romance, pathos, and humor that round out the mood of a story. It is not about to become a literary classic: the villain is a bit obvious and stereotypical, and the world-building is charming but lacks the depth required of high fantasy. Yet, within its intended genre and for its YA audience, it is more than suitable. Howard entertains and transports her audience into Lyra's fictional world, while also sharing a timely message about deceptive appearances and surface-level prejudices.
{see more reviews at https://witnessofthedawn.wordpress.com}